President's Report
Luba Fineson
We presented so many events last quarter that I am still breathless, starting with…
Elections A special thanks to Jon Wegienek for revamping the candidate questionnaire, getting it out and back from candidates, and handling the news releases. The make up of the County Board of Legislators remained the same after the elections. Those pro-choice candidates whose wins were shaky last time came through with greater majorities than two years ago. The number of legislators who have promised to vote for the County Human Rights Commission is also solid.
Human Rights Commission and NOW Lawsuit One of the local arguments against creation of a county human rights commission (HRC) is that the State has one and if that is not working well, fix it. That is exactly what NOW-NYS, NOW-NYC and Westchester NOW chapters joined to do five years ago. In October, the judge trying the case ruled substantially in favor of NOW and against defendants Cuomo, Pataki and their commissioners of the State Division of Human Rights. They were ordered to use the entire budget allocated by the legislature to provide more staff to handle cases. They were also ordered to use a locator service to find the people they turned away without investigating their cases, which they did to reduce the backlog. The State has the right to appeal; NOW’s pro-bono attorneys expect the appeals will take another five years in the courts. Are people who have lost their jobs and livelihoods to be expected to wait ten or twelve years for redress? Better to try to deal with the problem locally where a local commission will be more responsive.
Renewals As many of you know, membership in public service and political action organizations has been decreasing over the past few years. Perhaps we need a new crisis, or perhaps a new threat to reproductive rights to energize supporters to continue their memberships in NOW. But we do need you. I sent out a letter last month to 21 people who were late in renewing their memberships, inviting them to call me about any issues on their mind. I hope you will do so. I know I will need NOW until every woman and girl has equal opportunities for work, advancement, respect and self-fulfillment. I count the number of women in the philharmonic, the number of women executives in the movie credits, the number of women artists in the galleries. Unless we are aware of the discrimination, we cannot resist it. And who better to lead the fight against discrimination than NOW? Please join me. Remember, when good women get together for a cause, “failure is impossible.”
County Budget We will be working in November and December with the Westchester Women’s Agenda to have vital funds added to County programs for women and children. This is an annual effort spearheaded by Amy Paulin’s brilliant leadership that starts in the summer and continues until the budget is passed in December.
Bedford Hills Correctional Facility I would like to share a message from the women at BHCF concerning the push to eliminate parole, a move already underway in state prisons at the initiative of Governor Pataki. On November 6, the women of the Bedford Hills NOW Chapter and the Long Termers’ Committee held their special events day, “Voices of Women from Within the Walls.” I would like to share this portion of a letter from the women at BHCF inviting us to their special events day:
“Currently there is a strong and much needed effort to repeal the antiquated Rockefeller Drug Laws. There is, however, no similar movement to review the sentences of women who commit first-time violent offenses. Women who commit first-time violent offenses do not repeat violent offenses when they are released, like some male offenders seen in the media. Nor is our prison time spent in a violent environment that is conducive to continuing violent behavior (as many male prisoners unfortunately have to endure). Therefore, healing, seeking and reflection are possible for female offenders.
Previously, when women were sentenced to prison for homicide and drug related offenses, they knew that despite the length of the sentence they could be released or receive clemency (mercy release from the governor) for genuine remorse and extraordinary rehabilitation. This is no longer the case. The State has adopted a policy of keeping women who commit violent offenses in prison regardless of their remorse and obvious rehabilitation. It should be noted that every woman at this facility convicted of a violent offense has been re-sentenced to two years more each time she is reviewed by the parole board. Some women have had three parole board appearances, which means that an additional six years has been added to their original sentence. This is after they have served minimum terms of fifteen, twenty and twenty-five years.
We need your help and it is extremely important to us that you learn who we are and what our rehabilitation has encompassed. There are many extenuating circumstances that lead women to commit a violent offense. This act, however, does not mean that she will forever remain a violent offender. Throughout this facility, long-term offenders are helping their sister inmates and our communities. We will present our achievements and life histories at our annual event entitled Voices of Women from Within the Walls. Thank you for your support.”
Amicus Brief Westchester NOW was asked to join a group of activist womens’ organizations in a friend of the court letter in an appeal of a ruling that infringed on the civil rights of the female plaintiff in a job-related sexual harassment suit. While she was testifying on the stand, she was asked, and the court permitted, testimony on her private sexual history. This testimony should have been precluded, as it did not directly relate to her duties at work. The judge inappropriately instructed the jury that she was indeed harassed, but because she was not a sexual novice, she should not be upset at sexual harassment at work, and was therefore not entitled to damages. The brief seeks to overturn the verdict, which concurred with the judge’s instructions.
Update from the Artist Hilda Demsky wishes to thank all NOW members and guests who attended her special show, “Uncharted Spaces” at the Mamaroneck Artists’ Guild Gallery on September 21. Their thoughtful questions and insights on her work helped to inspire her on her next adventure, a four-week fellowship retreat at the Valparaiso Foundation in Mojacar, Spain.
Color of Fear Together with Mt. Vernon United Tenants, Westchester NOW again presented this video followed by a provocative discussion of racism in our community, led by Sioux Taylor and Margaret Morris. Controversy centered on leaving the past behind or studying the past mistakes to learn from them. If you haven’t seen this video, plan to attend the next screening; its raw emotions will evoke reciprocal feelings in you.
